This is a much abbreviated and blog size version of the book review that appears in PACN and Authentication News®

Few readers appear to have taken an interest in the earlier post this week. As surely as everyone delights in reading about standards, it must be because I was rude in leaving such a long post. I will be more succinct in the future starting with this post.

Pharmaceutical Anti-Counterfeiting: Combating the Real Danger from Fake Drugs by Mark Davison succeeds in providing a handbook for professionals involved in product security and brand protection. Davison consistently takes the stance of 'guide on the side' as opposed to 'sage on the stage,' and this tone of humble service is quite helpful in approaching a problem of such magnitude and chaos.

Those involved in product security for pharmaceutical products will appreciate the organization of the material and the catalogue of discussions that have circulated among industry professionals for the past few years. It is important that someone write down what leaders in the industry have been saying. So from this perspective alone, the book is a 'must have' reference.

Pharmaceutical executives will appreciate how he comprehensively addresses the vast array of topics to include in potential strategic approaches, how he defines authentication, discusses in-dose and on-dose authentication, analytical detection, security labels, holograms, DOVIDs, specialty inks, taggants, forensic markers, packaging security, transport security, tracking technologies, system management and many other issues.

Those not familiar with industry issues and those who want to help provide technologies that are helpful in solving the counterfeiting problem will appreciate how he addresses the background of the industry, supply chain issues, consumers, distributors, manufacturing issues, printing issues, and how the business works. His discussion of blister packaging and foils is particularly useful for manufacturers of security inks.

Davison does not back away from or avoid pointing out conflicts and disagreements that exist between approaches to solving problems (digital vs. physical authentication), but he is quick to help the reader find the strongest solution by seeing the ways that solutions and technologies can work together.